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INVESTMENTS IN EXTENSION & ADVISORY SERVICES (EAS) IN

ASIA-PACIFIC REGION:

Status and Opportunities

by

Kristin Davis, Rasheed Sulaiman V., Virginia Cardenas, Khin Mar Cho, Xiangping Xia, and Gibson Susumu

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Context Production and productivity has

generally increased in Asian countries, but food and nutritional insecurity is generally widespread.

Agriculture continues to remain as an important engine of growth Raising productivity is, thus key to social transformation

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Context….

EAS has an important role in supporting agricultural development and strengthening the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS)

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Characteristics of Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) in Asia

EAS largely in public domain (national, provincial, district, township) in most countries in the region

Some of the largest extension systems in the world are in Asia (China, India, Indonesia)

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… Extension and Advisory Services in Asia Increasing pluralism in extension

delivery today- NGOs, Producer Organizations, Agri-business companies are playing important EAS functions.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) also play an important role in disseminating information to farmers.

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Our Approach in this PaperWe looked for evidence on diversity/pluralism and investments in EAS in the 3 major regions:

South Asia (Bangladesh) Pacific Islands (Fiji) South East Asia (Philippines)

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Generic Challenges

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Public sector support generally remain static or are on a decline in most countries in the region (except China and India), at a time, when it faces several new challenges (supporting farmers to adapt to changing climate and uncertain markets)

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Decentralization generally weakened EAS in most countries where it is tried (Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka)

Low morale Limited operational funds Poor links with research

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Data on investments is difficult to obtain:

Extension as part of several other programmes

Investment (including the number of staff engaged in EAS) by private, NGOs and POs remain largely unknown

Extension agents perform several non-extension tasks

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EAS have become more pluralistic, but very little collaboration among wide range of actors within EAS.

Role of EAS in the AIS generally not appreciated as EAS has limited capacities to play broader roles beyond dissemination of agricultural technologies.

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Many other roles are not performed at all \or are performed ineffectively due to limited capacity (individual and institutional):

organizing farmers into user/commodity groups and providing handholding support;

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supporting adaptation to climate/market risks;

advocating for policy changes; coordinating activities of EAS

providers etc., which are important

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OpportunitiesIncreasing recognition on the importance of strengthening EAS globally (and also in regions)  

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Opportunities Establishment of GFRAS (2010) and regional networks: APIRAS( 2012) AESA (2013), PIRAS (year), MELA (2015). Central Asia RAS Network, linkages with other network e. g, APEN,

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Opportunities 

These networks are taking an active role in advocacy and knowledge management on EAS and also networking different actors engaged in EAS.

Enhanced south-south collaboration

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Ways Forward

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 Strengthen data base on investments and human resources in EAS in Asia

Who is investing in EAS? How much is invested? How much time of EAS

agents is devoted to EAS provision?

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EAS need better engagement with Policy:

This is an important role for regional networks and country fora for:

strengthening investments in EAS,

better link with other actors in AIS and coordination of pluralistic EAS

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Enhance Investments in EAS

Both public and private investments needed to provide much wider support to farmers

More investments needed in increasing mobility, use of ICTs, develop new capacities.

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Strengthen capacities at different levels

Individual (technical and functional capacities)

Organizational/institutional Enabling environment

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Thank you!